Welcoming a dog into our lives is a very special occasion, whether they’re a puppy or a dog that’s being re-homed, they’re soon part of the family – often referred to as our ‘fur-babies.’
We know their time with us is precious and an unfortunate truth is that their lives are shorter than us humans, therefore, it’s no wonder more and more of us are taking the time to make memories with them – especially on special occasions.
In 2024, we were on a mission to find out which dog breeds are the naughtiest, according to their owners. We surveyed* over 2,000 respondents across the UK and our data revealed that Labradors lead the pack as the most mischievous dog breed, while Cocker Spaniels are the second naughtiest, and Cockapoos are third.
However, it wasn’t just the naughty antics our pooches get up to that we wanted to find out, although we’re still in shock over the Chihuahua that ate suspected expandable foam and had to have a serious operation. Despite their pet’s naughty antics, we were curious to find out whether owners celebrated their beloved canines’ birthdays or not.
Do pet owners celebrate their dog’s birthday?
Of the 2,348 participants we surveyed, 68% said ‘Yes’ they did celebrate their dog’s birthday – woof!
And while dogs are unlikely to know when their birthday is, they can detect things such as emotion, meaning that if you show signs of excitement through physical and vocal cues, they’re likely to pick up, and react in a similar way.
So, even if they don’t quite register the bunting, cards and balloons that you’ve put up in their honour, giving them lots of extra fuss and cuddles in addition to their normal routine, such as meals, walks, playtime etc, all helps towards their overall wellbeing.
How do pet owners celebrate their dog’s birthday?
Now that we’ve established that two thirds of dog owners do in fact celebrate their pooch’s birthday, which are the most popular ways in which they make a fuss of them on their special day?
Giving them a present and a bespoke doggy birthday cake were the most popular choices among pet owners, however, 8% of respondents admitted that they go the extra mile and take the day off work to be with them, aww.
Separate research by Thortful reveals that on average Brits spend £65 on their pooches in comparison to £75 on their feline’s birthday.
We also asked pet owners what were the other ways in which they celebrate their dog’s birthday, and several cited extra cuddles, treats and singing Happy Birthday to them. Here’s some other comments:
Owner of a Labrador: ‘A birthday pup cup and annual birthday photos in her special birthday bandana!’
Owner of a Sprockerpoo: ‘Buy her a steak.’
Owner of an Alaskan Malamute: ‘Do something special to celebrate their birthday and the birthday of all the other dogs I have had, maybe go to a zoo , or a dog enclosure, something fun.’
Owner of a Labrador: ‘Doggy play date at the local secure dog field.’
Owner of a Miniature Schnauzer: ‘Taken them away for the weekend to celebrate and taken them to the beach.’
Owner of a Border Collie: ‘Take a photo with a cake and balloons and a birthday hat and post it on social media.’
Foods pets can eat on their birthday
With 41% of owners giving their dogs a specialist dog cake for their birthday, what other foods could you give your doggo as a special treat on their birthday?
- Lean meat such as cooked chicken, turkey, or ham, are a good source of protein.
- Fruit such as apples, bananas, strawberries, pears or blueberries are also good sources of vitamins.
- Vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, broccoli and others have plenty of vitamins too.
Don’t forget pumpkins are also safe for dogs to eat, and if you’re looking for something a bit ‘extra’ for their birthday, dogs can eat pancakes too!
It’s wonderful to hear from so many owners about how they love to make a fuss of their dogs on their birthdays; it just goes to show how much our pets really are part of the family.
And with our pets being so important to us, it’s worth considering the importance of pet insurance should the unexpected happen. Our dog insurance and senior dog insurance policies can be tailored to your individual needs and budget because we know one size doesn’t fit all. Call us today for a free, no-strings quote and we’ll make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew.
*These findings are from a survey released by The Insurance Emporium to its marketing contact list of UK adults aged 18+ between October 3rd-21st 2024, which resulted in 2,348 responses from dog owners.
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